As soon as Charlie passed through the gate, she became sucked into a whole new world. She saw men wearing black nail polish. Women with thick, black lines so dark and smeared around their eyes that they looked like zombies. In the midst of all of these dark, gothic-type of folk, there were also people who seemed to prefer bright colors. Bright red hair, like you would find on a stop sign. Blue hair. Green hair, the shades of both grass and also one the shade of the glow-in-the-dark stars on her bedroom ceiling at home. She had no doubt that one would glow in a black light lit room and she thought that was very cool. She saw purple hair streaked with neon pink. She'd never seen such a variety.

A man with red contacts in stopped in front of her and handed her a flier, which she took absently as she marveled at his irises. He flashed her a smile with fake vampire fangs that looked real. He winked, then carried on.

Charlie looked away and saw that a little ways up the incline behind them, a girl was laying in the grass soaking up the sun, topless. Charlie startled, but then she realized that nobody seemed to care or even notice.

Charlie felt her arm being squeezed as Shay wrapped around it.

"This. Is. So. Bad-ass!" Shay squealed. "Thank you so much!"

Charlie's chest swelled with happiness. She knew how much Shay would love this. Like her, Shay never really felt like she fit in anywhere. But here. Here it looked like everyone was at home. Shay would never have been able to come without Charlie. Not only because of her mom, but because of the price of the ticket. But money was no issue for Charlie, and she was always more than willing to share with a friend. It pleased her immensely to be able to give her friend this amazing experience.

It seemed that not only Shay and Charlie were glad to be there, but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The high spirits of the crowd were infectious.

Except for one person.

The girls turned back to their group and saw Tamera stomp angrily away from Jake with tears in her eyes. Shay tugged Charlie's arm.

"Come on," she said.

They scaled the grassy hill until they came to the place where their group had chosen to settle. This point had a clear view of the first of the two stages set up at Metalfest. First stage, according to the bright yellow flier in Charlie's hand, was where all the best bands would be and where Gothstomp was currently setting up their equipment.

"What's up, Jake?" Shay asked.

Charlie knew that bashful look and that higher pitched tone from her best friend. Shay liked him for sure. He was cute. So was Shay. They'd look great together. A much better looking couple than him and Tamera. Charlie frowned as she thought of the snooty girl that had just huffed off. What an unpleasant person she was.

"Are you okay, Charlie?" Jake asked.

"She's fine," Shay said, patting Charlie's shoulder. "Aren't you fine, Char?"

Charlie snapped her facial expression from displeased Charlie, back to cheery Charlie. "Totally! This place rocks!"

Jake laughed. "No doubt."

Shay was laughing too. Too much, but it was a sweet gesture. Finally she cleared her throat. "So, uh, where did Tamera go?"

"Ah, who knows. She's just mad because she expects more attention from me. She's not even my girlfriend. I told her to stop acting like it and she got mad."

"Oh," Shay said. She unwrapped her arms from Charlie's and put one hand in her long burgundy hair, running her fingers through. "I didn't know she wasn't."

Charlie could smell Shay's green apple shampoo as she twirled and fanned her hair.

"That's the problem-" Jake began.

Jonny interrupted then, throwing his arm over Shay's shoulder.

"Told you, bro. She was a nutcase when I dated her," he said to Jake, the. He stared down at Shay. "I can practically see the Sparks sizzling here, though. Why don't you two get to know each other better?"

Jakes face twisted, "Butt out dude."

Shay's face was red. At first, Charlie was about to tell him off. If he didn't really like Shay, he was an idiot, because Shay was the coolest, kindest, prettiest person Charlie knew. How dare he diss her like that? But then Jake continued.

"Stay out of my love life. You're my cousin, not my breeder."

Shay and Charlie giggled at the word breeder.

"I would love to butt out, but it seems you can't get laid without help," Jonny joked. He nudged Shay toward Jake and she let the momentum move her. Jake stood about a foot taller. He grinned down as she grinned up.

Jonny wrapped his arm around Charlie. She smelled laundry detergent on his shirt, contrary to its stained state.

"Come sit with us," he said, leading her only a few feet over to where the others were sitting.

For a moment, Charlie thought Demi might get angry because Jonny's arm was around her, but she was actually smiling up at her as they walked over. Demi patted the soft ground beside her.

"Come on, Charlie, have a seat," she said enthusiastically.

Charlie sat and began chatting with the gang. Every now and then, she'd peek over at Shay and Jake. She was happy for her friend. But the longer she sat there...the more anxiety began to swell within her. It was small at first. A little salt grain of anxiety. Now it was a golfball size of anxiety in her stomach, bouncing around like an icy chunk of hail.